London - Keeping yourself looking your best is sometimes a tricky — and expensive — business.
From pricey wrinkle creams and surgery, to terrifying electric gadgets meant to shock away signs of ageing, the beauty world is a minefield of misinformation, snake oil and wishful thinking.
But there are things out there that can work miracles — it’s just knowing how to sort the duds from the diamonds, and recognising which areas to focus on.
Here’s my invaluable guide to the top ten anti-ageing treatments and tricks that really will keep you looking wonderful . . .
1. HELP YOUR HANDS
Would you plunge your face into hot washing-up water? No. Then why do it to your hands? As well as being constantly exposed to the elements, the hands have very little subcutaneous fat, which is one of the reasons they age so badly.
Treat them with the same degree of care as your face. Use your night cream on them, slather them in sun protection and always wear gloves when you’re charging around the house with the bleach bottle.
2. TRY BOTOX
In my humble opinion, all facial injectables are a waste of money, with one exception: Botox. It is the only cure for AMF (Angry Mummy Frown), that unsightly double vertical line that comes from shouting “Eat your peas!” at the children.
Also, it wears off, whereas other fillers — collagen and the like — hang around for ever and give you pillow face. Only ever get a medical doctor or a dentist to administer it, though, otherwise you’re asking for trouble.
3. WORK WITH YOUR GREYS
Slight caveat on this one: if, like me, you have grey hair at the temples, then obviously the only thing to do is cover it up — unless you want to look like Man at C&A circa 1983.
If you’re lucky enough for it to go salt and pepper, there’s no need to block dye it. Instead, your hairdresser can do what the French call baleage, essentially a free-hand application of several different tones — and thus blend the rest of your hair with the grey.
It looks very chic and natural, and most of all not too try-hard. It also lasts well, since you don’t get such obvious re-growth.
4. DON’T BE AFRAID TO GROW UP
There’s nothing more embarrassing than someone clinging onto youth. What suits us in our 20s is unlikely to work in our 40s; the key is to update your appearance as you age. If you’ve always had long hair, that might mean cutting it or having it layered. It might mean swapping the pink lippie for a more flattering peach, or toning down the fake tan and long fingernails. Small changes make a big difference.
5. HAVE REGULAR PEDICURES
Oh, it’s such a long way down these days, don’t you find? And there’s nothing worse than thick, yellow toenails, bunions and other unspeakables. I
6. LOOK AFTER YOUR BROWS
Thinning, grey or shortened brows are a classic sign of age. Luckily we live in the age of threading. Have them professionally shaped and dyed; if they fall short, make up the difference with a pencil.
If you’re really serious, try eyebrow extensions, where they glue strands into your eyebrows. You can get these done at Blink (blinkbrowbar.co.uk) and they do work.
7. INVEST IN EYE CREAM
People are always asking me whether eye creams are a waste of time and money. All I can say is I’ve used them all my life, and the eyes are the one bit of my face that seems to be holding up relatively well to advancing decrepitude.
A cream won’t restore tissue loss, but it will help tighten and brighten the skin around the eye — and help counteract crepey eyelids and other saggy bits.
8. DON’T EAT LOW FAT
From 40 onwards, fat is your friend. Not vast quantities, obviously, but a nice healthy layer of subcutaneous will stop your face from collapsing in on itself.
I don’t mean chips for breakfast, lunch and tea; I mean olive oil, avocados, oily fish, eggs, nuts and seeds: all foods which are packed with nutrients that are especially important for older women.
9. EXPLORE PERMANENT MAKE-UP
I know someone, aged 70, who has all her make-up tattooed on: eyeliner, brows and lipcolour — and it looks amazing. If you can find a practitioner whose work is subtle, this is a great way forward.
My friend has tiny dots of pigment along her upper lash line, which subtly restores definition to her eyes; she also has her brows filled in this way.. - Daily Mail